Fact or Fiction? The Ten Biggest Rumors on the PlayStation 2

Share.

Ever wanted to know how likely this gossip can be? Join us and find out!

By IGNPS2

In an age where the videogame community can reach across cultural boundaries, thousands of miles, and an endless supply of message boards, the power of "the rumor" should not be underestimated. A driving force behind casual and hardcore fans alike, the possibility of something new and titillating is part of what makes our hobby so great? "What if" is as powerful a phrase in today's videogame climate as any official announcement, financial statement, or groundbreaking technology ever could be; what's the truth worth when you have imagination?

With that ideal in mind, IGNPS2 scoured the Internet in search of the most popular rumors of the summer. From message board posts, emailed letters, and even company web pages, future possibilities came raging in like a mighty river of speculation. Not satisfied with stopping there, we called up our buddies, asked our fellow journalists, and even poked around at a couple of retailers in search of an even more elusive creature -- "the internal rumor". Once we had what we needed, we knew it was time to settle it all out. These things had to be explored.

What you'll find below is a list of ten of the most gossiped stories in the PlayStation 2 world. Some of these tidbits may seem familiar, others may be discovered for the first time, but regardless of what you'll see below, one thing is for sure: People are talking -- and it's our duty to get to the bottom of it.

To do so, we've presented these bytes in the form in which they're circulating, reveal what's being talked about, and then relay as many facts as we can in an attempt to solidify, debunk, or further explore the possibilities. Thought you heard it all? Think again!

Final Fantasy VII-2 Originally started when news of Final Fantasy X-2 was first announced, the rumor of sequel to the most popular Square game of all time has been infesting the Internet for nearly a year. Originally explained as proper compensation for the decision not to port FF7, FF8, and FF9 to the PlayStation 2, the story really began to pick up steam last November when Square legend Yoshinori Kitase told Dorimaga magazine that he'd love to make it.

FF7-2 April Fools Mock-up, courtesy of FFWA.com

"A sequel to FFVII?" comments Kitase while laughing. "In truth, there are many who'd like to make such a game, Nomura, who's working on Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, included. Many of the Square staff participated in the development of FFVII, and the memories are strong. Additionally, expressing the world of FFVII using today's technology would certainly be interesting. However, FFVII still has many fans," he continues. "We couldn't make a bad product."

Since that statement was made, there have been various reports from a multitude of Square Enix employees that could be taken either way. "There are no official plans to work on it", said one Square Enix employee, while later adding the caveat "But the possibility hasn't been ruled out". So which one is it? Who do we believe? After doing some deep digging and talking to some of our buddies over in Japan, we've come to understand that FF7-2 just may happen after all --but not the PS2 or PS3 as speculated. Its new destination? Sony's upcoming PSP machine. Though officially, there is no confirmation.